Friday, April 9, 2010

Medical marijuana activist claims 'assault by bodily fluid'

By MATT PHELPSKIRKLAND REPORTER

Finn Hill resident and medical marijuana advocate Steve Sarich has many complaints about how he has been treated by the King County Sheriff's Office in the wake of the home invasion robbery he endured on March 15.

But Sarich's latest complaint against the sheriff's office is the most disgusting - excrement smeared on his walls. In e-mails to the King County Sheriff's Office on April 2 and 5, Sarich claims that detectives spread human feces on the wall behind his bed and nightstand.

Sarich said that he is getting the substance tested but he is sure that it is not dog excrement.

“I have three dogs and I know the difference,” said Sarich in the e-mail. “Chelsea (his girlfriend) and I are willing to take DNA tests to prove it’s not ours. This is ‘assault by bodily fluid.’”

A Sheriff's department press release said that "Sarich offered no motive for detectives defecating in his house and then spreading it on the wall. He did not mention it to detectives who met with him on March 19 and 20 while doing follow-up work on the robbery investigation."

"We took control of the house on Monday (March 15) and he spent the night somewhere else," said King County Sheriff's spokesman John Urquhart. "He did not come back until Tuesday but the detectives were back out there a few times during the remainder of the week."

Urquhart said that a warrant to search his house was obtained for the robbery and for the illegal marijuana plants.

Sarich is currently suing the sherrif's office for taking what he and his lawyer consider a legal number of marijuana plants from his home during the investigation. Sarich has also complained that he cannot purchase a hand gun.

"That has nothing to do with us," said Urquhart. "There is a five day waiting period and under federal law a medical marijuana patient cannot purchase a gun."

Sarich's issue with the King County Sheriff's Office began when he and his girlfriend awoke on the morning of March 15 to intruders attempting to rob his home. The home invasion robbery ended with one of the five intruders and Sarich at the hospital with gun shot wounds. Sarich was released the same day with minor injuries. The wounded 18-year-old, who was not armed, remains hospitalized after his lower leg was amputated due to his injuries. Three of the remaining four (one was armed and exchanged gunfire with Sarich during the home invasion) are still in jail and all five have been charged by the Prosecutor’s Office.

The sheriff's office said that well over 350 marijuana plants were found in the residence, along with processed marijuana and food infused with apparent marijuana. The investigation is continuing and the case has not yet been referred for presecution.